Renault provides DIVORCE a reimbursement pledge on new electrical household automobile

Married couples who break-up after buying a new Renault family car are being offered their money back in one of the most unique deals offered to car buyers.

The French car maker is introducing what it calls ‘Relationship Breakdown Cover’ for its new electric Scenic SUV model to guarantee a refund to couples who divorce or dissolve a civil partnership after taking delivery.

But there’s a catch…

Married couples who break-up after buying a new French electric family car are being offered their money back in a unique ‘Relationship Breakdown Cover’ deal

The Scenic, launched last year, is priced from £37,495.

It has won numerous plaudits since entering the market, including being the reigning European Car of the Year for 2024. 

Proclaiming what it calls the end of the ‘car-gument’, the gallic car-maker promises: ‘The new Renault Scenic is such a perfect family car that buyers are promised relationship bliss – or their money back.’

It insists the car’s comfortable seats, hi-tech-sat-nav, silent EV running, smart sound system, spacious and light interior, and calm ambience are the perfect antidote to potential quarrelling, bickering, squabbling and disagreeing, noting: ‘Comfortable seats, a great sound system and lots of space for everyone are revealed to be the best ways to keep everyone smiling on long car journeys.’

It states: ‘Renault Scenic E-Tech – the reigning European Car of the Year – is declared the perfect car for relationship bliss by its makers, with retail cash buyers offered Relationship Breakdown Cover that guarantees their money back if they split up.’

Explaining its new initiative, Renault says: ‘Whatever you call it, you’ve almost certainly had a bust up with your partner in the car – but the ‘car-gument’ could be about to become a thing of the past.

‘So confident are the makers of the Renault Scenic E-Tech that it is the perfect family car that they have declared it will bring an end to in-car friction – and promised owners their money back if they split up after buying one.’

So, what’s the catch? 

It says its ‘bold promise’ deal is available to customers until the end of 2024.

However, anyone seeking the reassurance of Renault’s unique cover – and the ability to hand back the car in the event of a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership – will have to read carefully the small print, as there’s a very big catch.

The offer is only available only to cash retail buyers of the car.

This will be a small fraction of owners, given that the majority of EVs – more than four in five in 2024 so far – are acquired by fleets rather than private buyers. 

Tallied among fleet ‘purchases’ are those motorists who run EVs via salary sacrifice schemes through their employees, which is one of the big driving forces currently propping up the new electric car market. 

The small print says that ‘Relationship Breakdown Cover’ is only available to cash retail buyers of the Scenic SUV

It notes: ‘The RBC is only applicable for purchasers of a Renault Scenic as an individual personal purchase from our Authorised Renault Dealer Network (excluding fleet purchases, corporate ownership or ownership through an employee benefits scheme), between 1st January 2024 and 31st December 2024, for cash.’

Private purchasers using any form of finance deal, including hire purchase (HP), Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Personal Contract Hire (PCH) ‘are excluded’ from the deal.

The small print also makes clear that ‘Relationship Breakdown’ relates to ‘either a Divorce, or the dissolution of a Civil Partnership’.

So couples breaking up after a non-official relationship – even if long term – are not covered.

The small print also sets out the legal documentation required, such as a court-stamped Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute, and relevant timings.

But for those who do qualify and who do break up – despite the charms of the new electric Scenic – Renault says: ‘On return of your Renault Scenic vehicle, you will be refunded the full cash price you paid for the vehicle on the date of return, less any reasonable additional retention of moneys for any damage to the vehicle (including removal of stickers and damage to the wheels and interior) beyond reasonable wear and tear for the time you have owned the vehicle.’

Earlier this month, This is Money detailed how Renault is fitting controversial ‘Big Brother’ tech to its range of cars – including the Scenic SUV and Clio hatchback – that scores driving performance and deducts points for speeding, tailgating and drifting over the white lines between lanes.

Renault’s ‘Safety Score’ will issue owners with a personalised mark out of 100 at the end of each trip in the hope that drivers will compete to get the best ratings and improve road safety.

Marks are docked if any of the vehicle’s suite of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) kick in during the journey, including lane assist, automated emergency braking and the latest tech fitted to new models from this week, Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) alerts.

However, it has raised concerns over whether insurers may be informed if drivers have a poor rating.